AgustaWestland deal 'middleman' Christian Michel has named Mrs Gandhi: ED tells Delhi court

The Enforcement Directorate also sought a ban on the access of Michel's lawyer to him alleging that he is being tutored from outside.

The Enforcement Directorate on Saturday told Delhi's Patiala House Court that the alleged middleman in the AgustaWestland case Christian Michel has named 'Mrs Gandhi' during the interrogation. The ED also said that Michel has spoken about 'the son of the Italian lady' and how he is going to become the 'next prime minister of the country'. 

Agusta Westland case: Enforcement Directorate tells Delhi's Patiala House court that Christian Michel has taken the name of Mrs Gandhi but in what reference can't be said right now. pic.twitter.com/9foBKVd3V0

— ANI (@ANI) December 29, 2018

The ED told the court that Michel has identified how the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) was removed from the deal and was later offered to Tata instead. The law enforcement agency has sought a ban on the access of Michel's lawyer to him alleging that he is being tutored from outside.

Meanwhile, Congress has claimed that there is pressure on Michel to name a particular family. "There is pressure on Michel to name a particular family, why is the chowkidaar trying to pressurize the govt agencies to name a family? BJP scriptwriters are working overtime," Congress spokesperson RPN Singh said. 

Reports suggest that the decision on granting of consular access to the British High Commission for Christian Michel has not been taken yet, sources confirmed. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had, on December 10, agreed to the British High Commission's request for consular access to the British citizen.

Michel reportedly has access to his legal counsel and has been speaking to his family, in line with the orders from a Delhi court on December 11.

Michel had been sent to Enforcement Directorate's (ED) custody for seven days on December 22. He was arrested on December 5 after being extradited to India from Dubai. 

The Rs 3,600 crore AgustaWestland VVIP helicopter deal, finalised during former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's tenure, was mired in allegations of kickbacks. 54-year-old Michel is an accused in the case along with former India's Air Force Chief, Air Marshal SP Tyagi, among others.